Susie Raisher Photo

Dot Matrix scores in Ashley T. Cole

by Ryan Martin

Ten Strike Racing's Dot Matrix outfought a stubborn Voodoo Song down the Belmont Park stretch to notch his second career stakes victory in Sunday's $150,000 Ashley T. Cole over the Widener turf course.

Dot Matrix, a gelded bay son of Freud, arrived at the 1 1/8-mile event for New York-breds off of a runner-up finish to fellow Ashley T. Cole contender Offering Plan in the West Point presented by Trustco Bank on August 23 at Saratoga Race Course.

Piloted by Luis Saez from post 4, Dot Matrix tracked in second in the early stages three lengths behind Grade 1 winner Voodoo Dong, who marked the opening quarter-mile in 23.84 seconds and the half in 48.14 over the firm turf.

Dot Matrix moved up around the far turn with no asking and was finally called on by Saez when he took a narrow command at the top of the stretch. Voodoo Song surged back to the inside and the two foes battled it out the remaining furlong-and-a-half, but Dot Matrix was able to keep his foe at bay with a half-length score in a final time of 1:46.57.

Five time-stakes winner Offering Plan pursued a late bid to the far outside but finished another half-length behind Voodoo Song in third.

Completing the order of finish was Therapist, Red Knight, Gucci Factor and Memories of Peter.

Saez said he was pleased with the trip he engineered for Dot Matrix.

"What a nice trip. He broke so perfect," Saez said. "I let Voodoo Song take the lead because I knew he was the target. I had plenty of horse at the half-mile pole and when we came to the stretch, I was worried a little bit because Voodoo Song tried to come back. But my horse was responding very well."

Trained by Brad Cox, Dot Matrix has finished in the money in all four of his starts in 2019, which also includes an open company allowance win at Churchill Downs over graded stakes winner Ezmosh, and a third-place finish in the Warrior Veterans at Indiana Grand Race Course - a race he won in 2018.

"He's a hard-knocking horse who has been around here forever, and it's nice to finally break through up here," said assistant trainer Dustin Dugas. "He runs well everywhere else, but to finally get it done in his own state is nice. Luis knows him so well and gave him a terrific ride. He was a lot closer than I thought he was going to be, but he was comfortable cruising along. Luis rode him so confidently. It kind of helped the horse out as well. It was a nice victory."

The victory was a ninth win in 28 starts for Dot Matrix, bred by Truxton Stables, who banked $68,750 with Sunday's victory pushing his lifetime earnings up to $455,487. He returned $19.40 for a $2 win bet.

The Ashley T. Cole is named in honor of the prominent attorney and New York state politician who was a driving force behind the creation of the New York Racing Association.